


When We Were Young

by Varydox



Category: RWBY
Genre: Beacon Academy, City of Vale, F/F, F/M, Other, Vale - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-10-04
Packaged: 2018-12-13 20:52:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11768154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Varydox/pseuds/Varydox
Summary: The events of when Team STRQ attended Beacon Academy





	1. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When team STRQ was attending Beacon

The young man lifted two suitcases and walked onto the dark platform. There was a chill in the air, that made bumps rise upon his arms, like a wave of ice. He blinked, his fuschia irises disappearing for just a moment behind the lids. His scruffy black hair clung to his face, causing him to shift his arms uncomfortably. He was wearing a private school uniform, dark brown, with gold accents, it looked a tad bit big on him.

"The sooner you move, the sooner we can get inside and be warm," a teen girls voice called from behind him.

Qrow turned around to see his sister carrying her own suitcases. She didn't appear to be struggling with them, though he was certain that if he was cold, she certainly was, due to the girls uniforms at Beacon. Her own uniform differed from his, in that she was wearing a red plaid and pleated skirt. Her own dark hair was fluttering, as her blood red eyes shined though the poor lighting. Raven glanced around, and raised one eyebrow.

"Where's your weapon?"

"I had to disassemble it," he responded, trying to hide that his voice still had not entirely deepened yet. "It was the easiest way to carry everything."

"How many times do I need to explain this to you? You need to keep your weapon on you at all times!"

Qrow was not in the mood for his sisters scolding, not today. It was a fresh start for both of them, having been accepted into the prestigious academy. And the sooner they were put into teams, the better. While part of him desperately wanted to have some independence from his overbearing sister, he knew that he needed an ally that understood his semblance and could take care of themselves, but even help those around him. He rolled his eyes at her dramatically, and she scoffed at him as they both continued to make their way towards Beacon. Thunder rolled in the distance, and the smell of damp concrete lingered as tiny droplets of rain sprinkled upon the streets, causing the siblings to move faster. A man who appeared to be in his 30s, with small eyes and an apron gave them a wave with a grin outside a dust shop. Raven ignored him, and pushed past avoiding eye contact.

"Sorry about her," Qrow told the man. "She has a lot on her mind. Would you mind telling us where Beacon Academy is?"

"Ah, of course," the shopkeep nodded. "It isn't too far at all, just take this side street to Carrion Parkway, then make a right turn. It will become the front end of the school. There's been a few other kids through here, I'm sure you'll run into them."

"Thanks, friend. By the way, love the shop name. 'From Dust Till Dawn'?"

"My wife thought of it, such a clever woman," the man chuckled. "You kids be careful!"

Qrow gave him a nod and continued down the street he had pointed out, to find Raven waiting for him. Her luggage was on the ground, her arms were crossed, and she had a scowl on her face.

"We aren't here to make friends, brother. Besides, I know where we are going."

"Whatever."

Behind him, Qrow heard a voice that was a tad lower pitched than his sisters thanking the same shopkeep for directions, followed by light footsteps. A girl about 17 with dark brown skin, a small Greek nose, light blue eyes, and lavender curls that sat upon her head with incredible volume, wearing a tight pair of black shorts with a high waist, which sported 4 gold buttons forming a large square on the front and the legs were cut off at the top of her thigh. Her shirt appeared to be a leotard, from the way it didn't bunch up the shorts, and it was the color of honey. It was long sleeved, with diamond cut outs running down the arms, eventually meeting with her middle fingers, tied onto a gold ring on each, and along her front, a larger diamond cut ran from the center of her chest, to the top of the shorts, and she was sporting combat boots, which had a purple five petaled flower with a moth in the center. On one hip, there was a holster with some type of small gun. The girl ran up to him and Raven, and she smiled brightly.

"Hey there!" She greeted them with a lightheartedness that took Qrow by surprise. "You guys headed to Beacon too?"

"Y-yeah," Qrow answered, taken aback at how incredibly beautiful she was, not having much experience speaking to girls who weren't his sister or the women of the bandit tribe. "Do you want, uh, to go with us?"

Raven rolled her eyes again, and picked up her things and left without them, muttering something about her "useless brother".

"What's her deal?" The girl asked, eyeing the dark haired teen.

"Eh, she's always like that. I'm Qrow, by the way," he introduced as they began to follow. "That's my sister, Raven."

"Wow, your parents must really like birds, huh?"

"We wouldn't know."

"Oh... Sorry about that," she said in a low tone. 

"It's alright."

"Well, I'm Viola Erebid. And I guess I'm one to talk. My family has a tradition of naming us all after flowers."

Viola and Qrow talked about their excitement of joining the academy. While Viola had gone to a combat school prior to being accepted into Beacon, her older brother had received an invitation, similar to the Branwens. 

"Aster is a 4th year, and then he's going to be a real Huntsman. I think my dad cried when he received a letter from Ozpin," she explained.

"I have to be honest, I was a bit shocked when I got mine. I wasn't surprised that Raven got in, she doesn't know when to take a break, even though it all comes naturally to her. She still works hard to impress."

"That's how Aster is," Viola nodded. "But he just wants what is best for his family, and I admire that. He's the reason I started training in the first place. Though, I suppose the glory wouldn't be that bad."

"Hey! Vi! Over here!" A couple of girls called out as they got to the courtyard, where several students were crowded trying to get out of the rain, which had began to pour heavier. One girl had tanned skin, wearing what appeared to be a safari outfit, khaki cargo shorts, a crisp sage green shirt, and a large brimmed khaki hat. She had a staff attached to her back by way of a halter, and she had a very high pitched voice. Her fiery hair was just visible from under her hat. The other girl actually moved out to greet them, her pale skin, golden brown eyes, and long brown hair made her look very ordinary in comparison to the Viola and their other friend. She was in a short black dress that had a ball gown appearance, velvet swirls upon the fabric, and a black mesh on neck and shoulders had black polka dots. Most of the top half of her hair was pulled back into an intricate braid, the lower half cascaded in soft curls down her neck and back. On both sides, from just past her thick bangs, a long curl began from the top of her head, down past her chin. She had a few freckles across her button nose, and when she smiled, Qrow noticed her two top front teeth were slightly longer than the rest of her incisors. Her shoes were definitely heels, but they almost looked like a cross between a fashionable black laced boot, and fancy ice skates, that just passed her ankles, while black socks went all the way up to her thighs. Qrow didn't notice a weapon or emblem on her person, but could smell the faint scent of apples when she approached.

"Hannah! I thought you weren't coming to Beacon!" Viola gave her a hug.

"Change of plans, Cap and Barry didn't like Atlas as much as they thought. Vale has its problems, but the people in Atlas weren't as accepting."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but at least you aren't away from me for 4 years!"

"Aren't you going to introduce me to tall, scruffy, and handsome here?"

Qrow was taken aback. He wasn't sure if she was serious or making fun of him.

"Oh, uh, I'm Qrow?" He asked, more than told. "I mean, yes, I'm Qrow Branwen."

"Hannah Amer," she curtsied, and Qrow's eyes widened is surprised when a long fleshy tail curled behind her as she did so. When she returned to her full height, she noticed him staring.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I shouldn't-"

"It's okay, it takes people by surprise. Honestly, you've had the most polite reaction I've ever received," she told him. "Sorry if I startled you. I forget that I can be a bit forward, not everyone likes it."

Despite what Raven had said about not making friends, Qrow really enjoyed Viola and Hannah's company, not to mention his sister had taken off, and he wasn't certain where she was. The students finally made it into the large hall, where a stage sat in the far side, centered, so that everybody could see a man with short black hair, going gray on the sides, and round spectacles. He had a cane that Qrow noticed had some gears in the handle.

"Hello new students. I am Professor Ozpin, headmaster at Beacon Academy. I know that you must all be excited, but before you have dinner and turn in for the night, I wish to go over a quick orientation. Beacon will not only be your school and educational institution for the next four years, but it shall also be your home. We will provide you with room, board, meals, and all modern conveniences that you could need. You are welcome to leave the school grounds after lessons and on weekends, the City of Vale has plenty of places for you to roam. If you would like, there are some school jobs where you may earn some funds, or perhaps you may wish to take a position within the city. If this interferes with your studies, you will be asked to resign from those positions and will be assigned to a mandatory study hall. We are not here to babysit, we are here to instruct you. If you ever feel that you are having trouble with your classes, always feel free to ask for help, but even more importantly, talk to your team. Your team will be your family during your stay here, treat them as such. We must stand together to remain strong. Now, enjoy your dinner, and remember that tomorrow you will begin your journey to become Huntsman and Huntresses."

Qrow chose to remain with Hannah and Viola, as Raven still was nowhere to be seen, and while waiting in line for the meal of what looked like rice, pot roast, and broccoli, their safari friend and her cousin met up with them. He learned that her name was Marion Warren, and that she was a talker. She was not rude, she just didn't know when to stop, but her cousin, a very tall girl with hair that appeared to be growing out from a very short cut, that same fiery color, was far more quiet. Marion mentioned that she was called Nelly Ogden, and Qrow couldn't believe how wildly different they were. While Marion was skinny, petite, and dainty, Nelly had some bulk to her, but instead of menacing, Qrow couldn't help but notice that she looked like a sad girl, born into a body that might have made it hard for her to make friends. She seemed to be uncomfortable around the other girls, but didn't seem to mind him. She was wearing a hoodie that was far too big for her, hiding her shape completely.

"Nice to meet you," she greeted, it sounded like she was losing her voice, it was far lower than that of the other girls.

After dinner, the students were all sent to change into their sleepwear, so Qrow told his new acquaintances that he'd look for them when they got back into the hall. He changed into some grey sweatpants and a black undershirt tank, as he heard some loud guy talking about some "hot chicks" they were attending school with to the other teen boys. Whoever he was, he had blonde hair and blue eyes, and seemed like a real jock stereotype. He happened to be behind Qrow on the way out.

"Hey buddy," the blonde said. "Couldn't help but notice you were getting real close to the ladies at dinner. Maybe you can share some tips tricks and more with me?"

"I don't think so," Qrow told him, avoiding his gaze. 

Apparently the guy couldn't take a hint, because he kept walking with Qrow, talking about his accomplishments at Signal academy, and that he expected that he'd be on a team with the best and brightest, but that he hoped someone smart was with him so he wouldn't have to study. 

"I didn't work my butt off to just do more book work, y'know? I'm ready for the real deal!"

"Are you still running your mouth, big guy?" Raven's voice suddenly cut in.

"Raven, where've you been? I couldn't find you once we got in," Qrow told her, standing up.

"You're a big boy now, brother, you can handle a couple hours without me."

Blonde kid looked between them in awe.

"Wait, this is your brother?!" He asked. "You two really don't look alike!"

"I'll take that as a compliment," Qrow mused, earning him a glare from Raven.

"Dude, you got an INVITATION to Beacon! That is insane! You've gotta show me some moves!"

Qrow wasn't listening anymore, he was looking for the girls, and when he spotted Nelly, he waved. The others were with her, and they immediately made their way over. Qrow noticed that Nelly was holding her pillow in front of her chest, almost as though she was hiding.

"Hey, team vermin! No shocker you guys are here," the blond kid said. Qrow, and even Raven, gave him a look. 

"Whatever, Xiaolong," Viola rolled her eyes. "I better not be on a team with you, Tai. I might vomit."

"I know you want me, Vi," he said, making kissing faces at her.

"Not if you were the last guy on Remnant," Marion piped up. 

Tai put a hand on his chest in effort to appear offended by the statement, which got him what sounded like a giggle from Nelly.

"Nels, you're looking good!" He told her. She hugged her pillow and blushed, a soft 'thanks' escaping her.

They all seemed like great people, and Qrow felt a lot better about his acceptance. He wasn't sure about this Xiaolong guy, but the girls and even Raven actually seemed to if not enjoy, at least tolerate him. Maybe he wasn't so bad. It had been a long day, and they all knew tomorrow was going to likely be grueling, Nelly suggested they turn in a bit early. Hannah struggled to get her rat tail into the sleeping bag, muttering that this was why she never went camping, which Qrow couldn't help but chuckle about, stating that she could just wrap herself up in a large blanket, and it would basically be the same thing. The Faunus seemed to appreciate the thought, even if it was a joke.

As they began to drift to sleep, a girl with an asymmetrical hair cut and silver eyes watched them, from her own private corner on the other side of the auditorium.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been wanting to write something for RWBY for quite some time, and am excited to finally get the first chapter out. It will help while I deal with writers block on my Trio of Towns fanfiction (which I will be continuing), to get some creative juices flowing. There's still a lot we don't know about certain characters, so I'm going to take a few creative liberties based on my own interpretations of the world of Remnant. First chapters are always difficult due to introductions, so hopefully chapter two will flow better.
> 
> I'm trying very hard with Nelly, simply due to the fact that I don't really have firsthand experience with what she is dealing with, but I'm trying to put myself into her shoes and how I would feel and react, to understand her better. A lot of research went into these characters, especially when it came to names, and a common theme between them, but I'm happy with the result. Props to anybody who can figure out what it is, and who the inspiration is for them.
> 
> Chapter Two should be out by next week, and as always, I appreciate constructive criticism!


	2. Team Building

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The search for a team begins

The night had been difficult for Qrow, he simply felt incredibly out of place. Being raised by the bandit tribe meant that he was used to sleeping lightly in case of attacks, but although Raven had also been raised under them, she was far more adaptable to new situations. Just another reason for why she was so beloved by their people. One of the elders had identified Qrow’s semblance early in his life during training, when despite poor combat skills, his opponents always had something unfortunate occur to them. Even if they won, it was a bittersweet victory for them in some way. Something bad always happened to the people around him, with the exception of his sister. Nobody really knew why, perhaps it was something about her aura that made her immune to the bad luck that followed Qrow everywhere he went. 

“Qrow, you must learn to control your semblance. Anything can be tamed through practice,” she had told him one day. 

When the siblings received their invitations, the elder of course didn’t want Raven to go, she didn’t need help, but Qrow? The boy could bring his misfortune elsewhere, and if he did learn how to turn off this bad luck, he would be welcomed back with open arms. Raven, however, did want to go. This was a way to become stronger, and she would not pass up such an opportunity.

Once the teens had all awoken, they went to change. The girls from Signal and Raven went one direction, Taiyang and Qrow went the other. 

“So…what’s with you and Viola?” Qrow asked.

“She totally digs me,” Tai responded with an air of comedy. “Can’t you tell?”

“Uh. . .”

“Nah, man, I’m kidding. Me and Vi are old news. She does have the hots for someone else though, but I have no idea who it is. Whoever he is, he is damn lucky. She’s one Hell of a woman.”

“Is that why you referred to them as ‘Team Vermin’?”

“Dude, it’s a joke,” Tai stopped in his tracks. “No offense, man, but you are way too uptight. I’ve known them for years, if they didn’t like it, they know they can tell me and I’d stop. But for the last 3 years, it hasn’t bothered them.”

“I, um…” Qrow stumbled his words. “Sorry, I’m not used to . . . this.”

“You’ve never had friends?”

“I’m from a . . . very small community. The only kids I’ve known that are our age weren’t very interested in becoming friends.”

“That sucks, man. It might sound stupid, but friends are important. And I think the girls like you. Nels seems to really like you.”

“She’s really quiet. She seemed uncomfortable last night, being around everyone?”

“She. . .has had a tough time adjusting over the last year or so. I think it has been a tough transition. But that’s what I’m talking about! She has friends supporting her, and she knows that if anyone tries to give her trouble, we are all their for her.”

“I don’t think I understand.”

“Oh, sorry, man. She’ll tell you if she wants to, it really isn’t my place to give out her personal information.”

Qrow still didn’t understand, but they both continued to the locker rooms to get ready for the day. Qrow changed into his black combat pants, and grey undershirt, with a white armored jacket, and retrieved his weapon. He opened one of his suitcases, which had a small toolkit sitting on top, so that he could reassemble it, and did a couple practice swings to make sure he had everything in place. Tai was wearing cargo shorts, and an open vest, carrying what looked like a gun with a blade attatched to it.

They made their way out to the main hall to find the girls, three of the girls from Signal were all wearing outfits similar to what they were in the day before, Raven was wearing a very short black and red dress, and her sheathed sword was at her side. Nelly was wearing black leggings, with a skirt made from the furs of a black and white wolf, her torso covered by the black feathers of some large bird, shoulders protected by what appeared to be bone, and upon her head was the skull of a deer, large antlers branching out. She looked terrifying in her armor, and her shield with sharp points jutting outwards, threatening any who might get too close. He’d hate to have to fight her, and then he noticed Hannahs weapon and felt bad for the desire to laugh. It looked like a rolling pin. 

“Love how you fixed up the outfit, Nels,” Tai said with a wink. She nodded.

“What are you staring at?” Hannah asked forcefully when she caught some other kids watching her tail swish around. “I’m not your entertainment, people, keep it moving!”

When Nelly turned in the direction of the students Hannah was speaking to, they cleared out at one look at her.

“Ignore them, Hannah. You don’t owe an explaination.”

Hannah sighed and put a hand on her friend in appreciation.

Raven started making her way outside, towards the courtyard, not a word to anybody, causing Qrow to shrug and follow. He wondered what they’d have to do to figure out how the teams were going to be made. Ozpin had not really explained the process. Outside, the smell of wet pavement permeated his nostrils, and he took a deep breath. He always liked the smell the rain brought. The sea was not far off, and it was a scent he wasn’t familiar with, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. The sun was nowhere to be seen, as large clouds loomed above Vale, and the darkness wasn’t unwelcome. Qrow was used to working in the shadows, so this shouldn’t be a problem for him. He knew Hannah probably wouldn’t have any trouble, it was common knowledge that Faunus could see in the dark, but he wasn’t sure about the others. Then, a thought struck him. He had only gotten to know five people, under the assumption that he would be on a team with any of them, but there were at least twelve other students that he could potentially end up on a team with. Maybe they could trade, or work something out?

Ozpin was waiting for the students along with a man in his mid 20s, with a huge mustache, and light brown hair, in a maroon suit. The other first years all gathered around, with Raven (naturally) at the front of them all, ready to go. 

“It is time for you to be placed into teams. I have placed Peter, here, in charge of the task ahead. I will have him explain everything. Be ready for anything,” Ozpin explained, almost absentmindedly. He turned his back against them, and Peter moved forward.

“Alright, here’s how this is going to work!” he bellowed. “I have released several Grimm into the forest. You must kill them, and bring back the token they carry. But be warned, there are plenty of Grimm who aren’t part of my personal collection in the Emerald Forest as well, you must be ready to defend yourselves against them at all costs. Before you find them, however, you will need these!”

He handed out rolled pieces of paper to each student.

“Don’t open them yet. Each one has a riddle and a map of the City of Vale. There is only one second copy of each riddle, and someone else in the group has it. Follow the clues to find your first teammate.”

“What exactly does this have to do with being a Huntress?” Raven scoffed.

“Being a Huntsman or Huntress isn’t just about brute strength, but a sharp mind as well. If you can’t solve problems, you aren’t fit to be in the field,” he told her, with some sharpness. “Now then! Off with you!”

The students began to clear away, and were looking at their riddles. Some of them seemed completely befuzzled, others immediately were taking off towards the city, one of them being Raven. Qrow unrolled his and his brow furrowed at the words. 

“Defying a diseased hand  
Go the way that vultures land.”

“What…” Qrow whispered to himself. He looked around, hoping he might be able to just cheat his way to a partner, but couldn’t find a familiar face anywhere. The girls had gone off to follow their own riddles, and Tai must have as well. He looked at the map and riddle again, hoping understanding would dawn upon him. 

Defying a diseased hand. Okay, anybody would do that, maybe something like a hospital? Or perhaps a research lab? It was hard to say, and the second line didn’t make much more sense. Vultures could land anywhere. Or maybe it was talking about a mortuary? Vultures did make some people think of death. Wait, vultures liked to eat dead animals, so a butcher shop wouldn’t be out of the question either. He scanned the map, which he realized had a large red circle, which dissected the city. He assumed it was a perimeter, stating that the answer was going to be within the confines. It was a start, he thought. He looked for butcher shops, hospitals, clinics, and morgues, but there were simply too many of them to finish the quest in one day. The next logical thing to do would be to see if there was an area where they were a bunch of them close to each other. Unfortunately, no such luck. Maybe it was something else entirely, something so obvious he was completely missing it, but what could it be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where does Qrow need to go to find his first teammate?


	3. Where Vultures Land

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Qrow meets his first teammate, and tries to bond with them

Qrow figured it might be easier to at least get into town, and just see what happens. He began his strides into the city, weapon strapped to his belt, hands in his pockets, and looked around him. The city was fairly quiet, all things considered. The bandit tribe had hammered the idea that cities were these awful places, people crowding, too much noise, and that they had no business there. Raven might have believed them, though she never had a reason to doubt them, sometimes Qrow thought she considered them to be family more than her own twin.

He watched different people as he walked down the courtyard, some were already doing homework, so he assumed they must be returning students. It just showed him what would be expected of him at Beacon. One student was tall, muscular, dark skinned, and Qrow recognized his emblem, the five petaled flower with the white moth. The light eyed fourth year gave him a nod when he caught Qrow staring, and went back to what he was doing. Viola had been right, Aster just emanated an air similar to that of Raven.

“Ah, you must be my first teammate,” a young woman’s voice said to him.

Qrow looked down to see a short girl with dark brown, almost black hair with red highlights, silver eyes, and a white coat calmly watching him.

“Oh, uh… are you sure? I’m still trying to figure out my riddle,” he told her.

“You’re the only one left,” she tilted her head to one side.

“Did… did you have the vulture one?”

“Yes. It was actually quite easy. The way vultures land partially infers the street we were to meet on, while the rest of the riddle gives the name of the street.”

“Uh. . .”

“I’m not going to give you the answer, you must try to figure it out for yourself.”

Qrow stared. Was it seriously that simple? Vultures ate dead animals, what street in City of Vale could possibly have anything to do with that? He took a glance at a signpost nearby which held the name of the street they were standing on. Carrion Way. Of course. Qrow felt incredibly stupid, and he groaned. The girl smiled, knowing he just discovered the answer.

“It is alright if you don’t know the answers immediately,” she comforted him. “All things come in time, and we must never be ashamed of ourselves for utilizing that time.”

“That’s a nice sentiment, but many people would disagree with you.”

“Then those people are going to find themselves in trouble when they end up on the slow side of things. My name is Summer Rose,” she told him, offering a hand.

“Qrow Branwen,” he took it, and gave her a firm shake.

“We should make our way towards the forest, Qrow.”

They began the trek to the Emerald forest, and Qrow found that Summer wasn’t much of a talker, which he honestly didn’t mind. He didn’t notice if she had a weapon on her, but figured that it must be under her cloak. He couldn’t wait to see what type of fighting style she had, and was getting antsy, wanting to start killing some Grimm. 

The forest was dense, and difficult to see through. It would be hard for most Grimm to move around where there was more vegetation and they knew they would need to find a clearing of some kind if they wanted to find some larger prey. Summer and Qrow both remained silent, so that they might be able to use their other senses to attempt to track down one of the monsters. The smell of wet bark and dirt was all around them, and Qrow thought it was actually quite peaceful. Nature smelled far better than the concrete and asphalt of the city. As they continued, he couldn’t help but constantly look behind him, knowing that with his semblance, a Grimm could technically come barreling out of the trees, and it would likely be a Boarbatusk, small, but if it attacked and they were not ready, they would have a hard time fighting it in such a small space. Since he wasn’t watching in front of him, he suddenly collided with Summer, who had stopped moving, and had turned to face him.

“Something wrong?” She asked in a stoic manner.

“Just, uh…making sure we don’t get sneak attacked,” he tried to sound optimistic.

She raised an eyebrow.

“Boarbatusk grimm are loud, we would hear one coming,” she began an explanation. “A Nevermore wouldn’t be able to attack due to the canopy, a Beowulf would need to tear down several trees to get to us, and a Deathstalker would certainly have some trouble getting through the forest. How could we possibly be sneak attacked?”

“I…” Qrow started, then sighed. “Look, if we’re gonna be team mates, I should level with you.”

“What does that mean?”

“Summer, I have a very strange semblance. It’s like bad things happen to people around me, and I don’t have any control over it. My sister seems to be the only one immune, but nobody at home knows why.”

“Do you think this is a joke?”

“What? No! No I don’t! My semblance is bad luck, that’s why I was sent to Beacon! My tr- my hometown wants me to learn to have some control over it!”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“Look,” he sighed. “I really don’t know what to tell you here. It’s true. Just…don’t say I didn’t warn you if something bad happens.”

Summer merely turned around and kept moving. Qrow watched her for a few moments and sighed before following her once more. This was going to be difficult if his other teammates were like her. She was nice enough, but immediately distrusting him just because she had never heard of such a semblance certainly didn’t make for a healthy environment. 

Small droplets began to fall through the canopy to the earth below, but the young huntress and huntsman heard the pitter-patter of the rainfall long before they felt it. Every now and again, they would stop when they found tracks in the ever growing mud, but couldn’t seem to find any signs of the Grimm that Peter had released for this exercise. While investigating a short yet deep gash in a tree, perhaps created by a Boarbatusk in the past week, they heard a crash, taking them both off guard.

“Lightning hitting a tree?” Qrow asked.

“I doubt it,” Summer replied, receiving a look from her new comrade that conveyed “I was afraid of that”.

They carefully made their way towards the sound, which had subsided for now. Summer stopped once again, her silver eyes darting back and forth as a small clearing lay before them.

“What was that you were saying about your semblance?” she questioned, with a tone of wariness.

Qrow looked ahead and raised his eyebrows. Inside the clearing, an enormous Nevermore was fighting some students who looked like they were having some trouble. Qrow immediately recognized Marion and Hannah. What had appeared to be a staff the day before, was now clearly something else entirely. At one end, there was a metal hoop, but it didn’t close all the way. Right where the circle should have been completed, the metal bent outwards, looking like a V on top of an O, but on the outside, there were springs attached. On the inside of the contraption were shallow prongs, and Marion was in a lunge position, low to the ground, moving just fast enough to avoid the Grimm from injuring her with its sharp beak. All around them were Beowulfs, and Hannah had her strange rolling pin inside the mouth of one, trying to keep it away from her throat. She was attempting to keep her back to Marion, so one of the others wouldn’t be able to attempt a sneak attack, but they were fighting what seemed to be a losing battle.

Qrow rushed out into the clearing, with Summer directly behind him, and drew his sword, ready to swing at the Beowulf that the rat faunus was fighting. His blade sliced through the beast’s belly, shadowy muck spilling from it, as it’s body became but a mere vapor. Hannah nodded, her chest heaving as she breathed deeply, sweat was pouring from her face.

I owe you one, handsome!” she yelled out, as she went to help her teammate. 

She raised her arm, rolling pin in hand, and brought it down quickly, the one handle extended like a metallic whip, the blunt roller at the end was meant for bashing and breaking bone, and it cracked. Fire erupted from where it hit the ground, which told Qrow that there must be Dust stored within it. The flames took the beasts off guard, but only for a moment. That moment, however, was all Marion needed to drop to the ground, and roll away from the large bird-like monstrosity, and into a safer area.

Summer had disappeared, but Qrow saw a glimmer in the branches of a nearby tree, a bullet went flying, and passed through a Beowulf’s eyeballs, and it collapsed into a shadowy mist. A sniper rifle made for an excellent ranged weapon, especially in the forest where she would have plenty of cover. While Summer Rose tried to work from a distance, the others were free to take the creatures on in close quarters. Hannah used her whip on the Nevermore, and it wrapped around the beasts enormous head, choking it, as it tried to scream in pain. The blunt bit at the end hit the Grimm on the side of the head, and there was a visible dent in its skull, and its feathers erupted in flame. She continued to pull the slack tighter, attempting to decapitate it. Marrion was using the strange staff around the necks of the Beowulf pack, and before they could howl in agony, the petite girl grasped her end of the weapon, and in a seemingly effortless fashion, she picked up the Beowulf one by one, and smashed their skulls into the ground. 

Qrow knew they were supposed to be looking for some kind of token, but so far, he couldn’t see anything special about these particular Grimm, until he heard a whistle from the trees. Summer was trying to get his attention, and he knew their prey was near. He scanned the area, looking for whatever it was she had seen and noticed one particularly nasty looking Beowulf trying to slink away into the trees. It had a red piece of cloth going through one ear, and a tag of some sort was hanging from it. Qrow began to charge towards it, and with grace, he activated his weapon, the blade opened and extended, the hilt became more staff like, the huge sword revealing its true form: a scythe. He swung his arm back and with one hand, brought the blade down the center of the beast. 

It was as if time had slowed down for him, as he watched the scythe cutting through the creature, what appeared to be blood, despite its black coloration, stretching between both halves. The Beowulf seemed to not realize what happening, but its demise had already come. There was no saving its own life now, as it had waited far too long to escape. Each half crumpled to the ground, but instead of becoming shadow like the others, it became a puddle of goo, the tag sitting in the middle. Qrow bent down to pick up the token, which had the picture of a cobra coiled up on it. He stored it in his back pocket, and made his way back to the battle to find Summer was now on the ground. Her gun didn’t look like any sniper rifle he had ever seen, he assumed it must transform as well, but it had a blade running along the barrel, which she used to her advantage. She was in one spot, and in a flurry of rose petals, she was in a completely different area. For a moment, Qrow thought her semblance was teleportation, but as he watched, he realized that she actually was moving at incredibly fast speeds, almost too fast for the human eye to detect, the petals falling behind her like the tail of a comet. It was a pretty incredible semblance, certainly one he had never seen before. As she moved, each Grimm she faced was soon suffering from a wound they likely never saw coming, and eventually they all met their end. 

Hannah had managed to decapitate her Nevermore, and it’s lifeless body slowly dissolved into that disgusting mist and goo. Each other the students was breathing hard, as they tried to recover from the battle, and as the adrenaline rush began to wore off, a poisonous, sickening smell permeated their olfactory senses. Dead Grimm always had the smell of decay, like a corpse that had been rotting in the sun. Qrow, unfortunately, knew this scent far too well, although not necessarily due to his having killed a few of these Remnant forsaken beasts, but from some memory that he could not place, and faces hidden in shadow, voices that sounded both familiar and strange all at once. Thinking about it just made his head hurt, and he chose to try to ignore the dream like memory, as well as the rot from the ground. 

Hannah and Marion found a blue ribbon in the remains of the Nevermore, and found a strange looking cat creature as their symbol, and compared it to the cobra that Summer and Qrow possessed. They knew they weren’t going to be the same, but curiosity got the better of them.

“So, I guess we aren’t teammates,” Qrow finally said.

“Aww! But you both fight so amazingly!” Marion swooned. She began to beg Summer to see her weapon, enthralled by her marksmanship.

“Maybe next time, sport,” Hannah winked at him. “Come on Marion, we need to go find our teammates!”

Marion began to groan, and Hannah wrapped an arm around her neck and practically dragged her off into the forest, and gave a short salute to Qrow and Summer as a farewell. Qrow was a little disappointed. He had really been hoping that someone he already met would be part of his team. Summer was fine, and she seemed to at least entertain the idea of such a semblance as “bad luck”, but it would be helpful if they had possibly met the previous evening to try to get to know each other. At this point, she seemed completely determined to simply find whoever held the other tag.

“Summer, do you think we could take a breather?” Qrow asked, exhausted. 

It had been about an hour and a half since the battle in the clearing. They had met up with a couple other students that Qrow didn’t recognize, some faunus but many not, and they either didn’t have a corresponding tag, or hadn’t been able to find a tag at all. He had, however, come up with the brilliant idea that whoever would have the other cobra might have also needed to fight a Beowulf to get it, likely one as grotesque as their own. Summer congratulated him on this fantastic proposition, and that was that. Before, he had enjoyed some quiet, but now it was a bit lonely if he was honest. Granted, Raven wasn’t really a talker either, if anything, she was a commander. She ordered others about, which the tribe saw as gifted and a mark of leadership. He thought she was honestly a bit of a spoiled brat that always wanted things her way. Not to say that she couldn’t lead, but she really needed to learn some people skills. Qrow couldn’t believe that he actually might be missing his twin sister, but at least there was a bit more interaction, and Raven usually didn’t want him to get hurt or become so fatigued that he got sick.

“Do you really want to be out here all night?” was her response.

“No, but if we have to fight like before,” he continued. “don’t you think we should actually have the energy to do it?”

She stopped, and turned towards him.

“You didn’t strike me as much of a planner, Qrow.”

“I’m not. And I’m not going to pretend that I’m the smartest guy out there, but I’m not stupid. If we are exhausted, we will lose a fight. The only reason Marion and Hannah are alive right now is because we hadn’t wasted our energy yet, but right now, we really aren’t in any position to fight like that again.”

“Fight like what?” a familiar voice asked from the trees.

They turned to find Tai and Raven arguing and dodging trees as the ran through the woods, right for them. A large Beowulf was shoving trees out of its way, snarling and trying to grab at them, and Qrow immediately saw the red ribbon going through a hole in the ear. 

“I can’t just punch the thing into pieces!” Tai yelled.

“Then punch harder, idiot!” Raven yelled back. “That was the most disgraceful fighting style I’ve ever seen!”

Qrow looked at them, and then as Summer, and sighed.

“Would you care to do the honors?” he asked.

She almost cracked a smile. Almost, he definitely saw her cheek wiggle to prevent it, but she obliged and took aim at the creatures head, and shot. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the person who gave the kudos, I really appreciate it! <3


	4. Stark and Venom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teams are finalized

What would have normally killed any Beowulf, a gunshot wound to the head, simply upset this one. It roared and howled its pain and anger. Its large hands covered its forehead, and that black goo ran down the white and orange markings it bore. Tai and Raven looked ahead and saw who had stopped their attacker in its tracks for the time being, and Raven scowled at her brother. He looked away, and drew his scythe and took a defensive stance, waiting for the Grimm to make a poor decision in its anger. He’d take this one down, just like the last one. Just as he lifted his weapon to charge the beast, a flurry of petals moved past him and Summer was in front of the Beowulf, her blade in its throat.

“Wow, thanks for the help, mystery girl!” Tai said.

“We didn’t NEED help, you dolt,” Raven turned on him. “If you hadn’t turned tail and ran, we’d have killed it ourselves.”

“Claim your tag,” Summer told them. “There’s nothing wrong with accepting help. We’re all tired, and we should make our way back to Beacon.”

Raven definitely didn’t like that and was about to retaliate, her hand on her sword, but Qrow grasped her shoulder and shook his head. They weren’t in the Bandit Tribe anymore, and she needed to calm down. She couldn’t just boss others around and bark orders at subordinates anymore.

The walk back to the school was a difficult one to say the least. Raven continuously glared at Summer, still angry that what she believed to have been her kill, was taken from her. Qrow kept trying to reassure her that Summer wasn’t trying to one-up her, she simply wanted to help so they could go get some dinner. It had been a long day for all of them, and they needed to receive dormitory assignments, there was a teaming assembly after that and then they needed to move into their new home for the next four years. They just wanted to get back and not waste anymore time, but his twin simply wouldn’t have it.

Tai, on the other hand, was incredibly grateful to them for helping, claiming that his weapon had jammed and that’s why they had to run. It would have been far too dangerous to get close without something like super speed, teleportation, or even changing perceptions, so they really didn’t have a choice, but Raven had insisted that he risk his life anyway or else he was a coward. She definitely was not happy when Qrow mentioned that from what he saw, she was running away too, and it earned him a punch in the shoulder blade.

As they reached the edge of the forest, they noticed other students also leaving the trees in groups of four, and recognized that they must have been the other first years, now with their newly gathered teams. Some looked to them and whispered while pointing at Raven in wonder, others giggled at Tai, who snuck a few winks, leaving some classmates swooning. Qrow wasn’t certain how they were going to learn anything with these raging hormones everywhere, and tried to banish thoughts of impurity from his mind. Sure, Viola was damn gorgeous, but he couldn’t help but think about Tai’s words, that she seemed to have her eye on someone else. He also found himself wishing he knew who it was.

His eyes scanned the groups, but he couldn’t find the four girls with any of them.

_I hope they are okay,_ he thought. 

The rain was still coming down, and now that they were clear of the canopy the Emerald forest provided, they realized just how bad it was. It was going to be quite a storm that evening, and Qrow was glad they would at least be inside. Once inside, they made their way to the auditorium they first gathered in the previous night, and found that most of the school was already inside waiting to see the new teams. The young teachers assistant Peter was directing them towards the stage, and Ozpin was introducing the groups that arrived before them. Slowly, they inched their way closer to the stage awaiting their placement, and Qrow could not help but feel like they were moving in slow motion. When they finally took their spot, Ozpin turned towards them, and locked eyes with each of them, and gave a short nod. Qrow was not certain but he almost thought Ozpin had given him a smile.

”Next,” Ozpin began, “we have Taiyang Xiaolong, Raven Branwen, Summer Rose, and Qrow Branwen. You retrieved the scarlet cobra tokens. From this day forward, you will be together as Team STRQ, led by . . . Summer Rose.”

Raven was glaring daggers at her new team captain as they made their way off the stage. Tai and Qrow kept watching the large doors, waiting for the girls to show, and just as the final four teens were done being introduced, the tall figure of Nelly Ogden appeared in the doorway. She looked worse for wear, her shield was covered in the muck that some of the Grimm had left behind after being killed, her armor was bent in some areas, especially around her shoulders and arms. Hannah was covered in mud, her long brown hair looked like a birds nest, full of twigs and leaves. Qrow realized she was walking with a limp, and wondered what happened. Marion was helping Hannah make her way to the stage, looking unscathed, and just behind her, Viola was confidently bringing up the rear. She was looking intently at Marion, with a slight smile on her face. Qrow’s thoughts wandered to what Tai had said, that Viola was interested in someone. Could it be that Marion was the person he meant?

”Ah, and finally,” Ozpin said, “Marion Warren, Nelly Ogden, Viola Erebid, and Hannah Amer. You retrieved the sapphire puma. From this day forward, you will be together as Team VNHM, led by . . . Viola Erebid.”

”That’s not surprising,” Tai elbowed Qrow. “Vi was the team captain for her group at Signal Academy. Girl can kick ass, man.”

Qrow and the rest of the school applauded them as they joined the crowd, and made their way to get dorm assignments. He wasn’t looking forward to classes the next day, but he knew he wanted to put his things away, eat something, and go to sleep after his time in the forest. He also knew he needed to get Raven calm down. She was still staring daggers into Summer, but was at the very least staying quiet. STRQ did not have to go too far for their room, it was just a couple buildings over, third floor, and upon arriving, discovered that their luggage had already been placed inside. He gently placed his weapon on a bed, and grabbed his sleepwear, soap and shampoo.

”Qrow, we should talk about our class schedule,” Summer told him as he started to leave.

”And we can’t do that later, because… why?” he asked.

”We all need to be on the same page,” she responded. “We’re all hungry and tired, but if we all get comfortable now, we won’t be able to focus.”

”She has a point,” Raven said coldly. 

”Thank you, Raven,” Summer acknowledged her, but she received a scoff from the red eyed girl.

Qrow sighed, and turned a chair around and sat backwards on it, crossing his arms and resting them on the back of the seat. Tai placed his hands on a dresser, and leaned on it, and watched Summer, while Raven sat on the window sill, looking out over the school. Summer smiled at them, and let them know that they all had the same classes. Every Monday and Wednesday they had three classes, one that dealt with broad history of Remnant, one on weapons training, and a class that dealt with Dust. Tuesdays and Thursdays had four classes, one was fighting techniques that worked on different types of Grimm, weapons modifications, a general physical education class, and managing injuries and illnesses. Fridays were study days and arena combat. Students could compete one versus one or team versus team in the arena, which would help them learn how to gauge each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Summer wanted to make sure that they worked together to actually study, and Tai feigned frustration that a cute nerdy girl would not just do all of his assignments for him.

”Alright then,” Summer said after going over the map of the school and where each location was, “let’s hit the showers and go get some dinner.”

A shower was precisely what Qrow wanted. All through the team meeting, he had been fidgeting. A few days without his vice was fine, but he was starting to get on edge. Raven had noticed, and shoved him in the hallway, mentioning how pathetic it was that he couldn’t go a few days without a drink, and hurried on towards the girl’s showers. Tai asked about it after they finished refreshing themselves.

”You drink?” he asked, surprised.

”Maybe.”

”Man, your guys’ parents are so cool.”


End file.
